Multiple compartment vending machine



Jan. 3, 1950 .1. B. BROCK 2,493,223

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT VENDING'MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1947 7 Shets-Sheet 1 wag] gwuc/vvbob JOHN B. BROOK Jan. 3, 1950 J. B. BROCK 2,493,223

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT VENDING MACHINE Jan. 3, 1950 J. B. BROCK MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT VENDING MACHINE 7 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 8, 1947 I Q, YIIIIII. 'I/Il gwuqm/m JOHN B. BROGK Jan. 3, 1950 Y J. B. BROCK 2,493,223

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1947 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG-5 JOHN B. BROCK Jan. 3, 1950 J. B. BROCK 2,493,223

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT VENDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 8, 1947 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ZOI Zlwuqm kw FIG -6 JOHN B. BROCK Jan. 3, 1950 J. B. BROCK MULTIPLE COMPARTMEN-T VENDING MACHINE '7 Sfieets-Sheet e 1/ xx 1 \w JOHN B. BROOK Filed Sept. 8, 1947 T mE 3N mm. 02 c a m Jan. 3, 1950 J. B. BROCK 2,493,223

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT VENDING MACHINE F-iled Sept. 8, 1947 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG-IO Zlrwwwkw JOHN B. BROCK Patented Jan. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE COMPARTMEN T VENDING MACHINE 18 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for refrigerating and cooling and dispensing bottled beverages and comprises a cabinet having a plurality of vertically disposed compartments with dispensing means disposed at the lower end of the compartments and coin controlled means for moving the dispensing means successively so as to deliver one bottle from one column upon one operation of the machine and upon the next operation to deliver a bottle from the next adjacent column or any other column and so on until the cycle is completed at which time the delivery of the bottles is repeated, first from one column and then the next adjacent or any other column.

It is an object of this invention to provide a vending machine having means for storing and refrigerating a plurality of vertically disposed columns of bottled beverages, articles of merchandise and the like, with means for supporting the lowermost portions of the columns of bottles, and means for successively operating the supporting means to allow one bottle at a time to drop from one of the columns and to support the other bottles in all other columns including the column from which a bottle has been dispensed against moving out of the respective column.

It is another object of this invention to provide a vending machine for vending bottled beverages comprising a cabinet having a plurality of cam means allowing another bottle to be dis pensed from another compartment until all of the compartments have had their lowermost bottle dispensed therefrom at which time the cycle is repeated.

It is another object of this invention to provide in a vending machine for articles of merchandise, such as bottled beverages, means for storing a plurality of columns of bottled beverages, means for dispensing a bottle at a time from one of the columns at a time, said machine having an exit opening with means for closing the opening together with a second means for closing the opening, and check controlled apparatus adapted to move the second closure means from over the opening and to rotate the first closure means in the opening to deliver a bottle from the interior of the cabinet while the second means are moved to non-closing position, both of said closure means being adapted to automatically return to closing position to thereby form a double closure for the exit opening or delivery opening of the machine and thus prevent unauthorized tampering with the mechanism and also prevent the ingress and egress of air to the interior of the compartment which is usually refrigerated.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an isometric view of the vending machine;

Figure 2 is an elevation looking at the front side of the machine with the front door removed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 55 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an elevation with parts in section and taken along the line 66 in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view of the lower right-hand portion of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is an isometric view of a portion of the parts shown in the lower portion of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 99 in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line llll0 in Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line H-ll in Figure 9 with parts omitted.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral Ill indicates a suitable cabinet having a merchandise compartment formed from top insulated wall I, bottom insulated wall l2, insulated side walls l3 and I4, insulated rear wall !5 and an insulated front door I 6 hinged as at H. To the right side of side wall l3 in Figures 1 and 2 suitable noninsulated walls 20 and 2| are formed integral with the cabinet but the front side thereof is closed by the free end portion of door Hi. This compartment is indicated broadly at It and it also has a top wall 23. Disposed between the insulated side wall l3 and the outer wall H is a forwardly sloping troughlike member 24, which extends out through the lower front wall 25 and has a lip portion 26 which prevents a bottle from passing entirely out of the trough 24.

The cabinet has a suitable bottom or base portion 21 to which the side walls and rear wall are joined for support. This forms a compartment 28 for housing the motor and compressor to be later described.

A suitable frame is secured within the lower portion of the. upper compartment 3.0 and this frame comprises any suitable structure such as a piece of strap iron comprising a portion 3! secured to and extending from the inner surface of side wall I3 across and suitably secured to the inner side wall surface I4 as at 33 and extends a short distance along this inner surface of side wall I4 and then a portion 32 projects parallel to the leg 3| back to the inner surface of side wall I3 and then portion 38 extends along and is secured to the inner surface of side wall I3 to where it joins the inner surface of rear wall I5, the. portion 34 being slightly spaced from the inner surface of rear wall I5. and being spotted as. at 35. and 36 to the inner lining of the cabinet. The rear wall has an offset undercut portion as at. 3.1 to make space for this portion 34. Rotatably mounted in the members 32 and 34. are shafts 49. 42, 43, 4.4, 4.5 and 46., having on the front ends thereof. and fixedly secured hereto, and disposed between the members 3| and 32, pinions. 53.51., 5.2, 53, 54.. 55 and56.

Rotatably mounted on suitable, stud shafts 66, BI, 62, 63, 64' and 65 mounted in and disposed between the members 3t and 32 are the idler gears 10, II, 1.2. 13, 14 and 15 which mesh with the pinions of gears 50. to. 56 inclusive, mounted on the ends of the shafts 40, to. 46 inclusive.

Spanning the distance between the members 32 and 34. are strap/iron members 80, 8|, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86. Slidably fitted over these strap iron members 80 to 86 inclusive. are fittings 95-, SI, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96., there being, twoof these fittings 90 to. 96 inclusive for each of the cross bars 80 to 86 inclusive as is evident. Figure 3. The lower ends of these fittings 90 to 96 inclusive are slotted to fit over thebars 80 to 36 inclusive, and the lower ends of the members to 93 inclusive have an enlarged slot for fitting over and down onto-the shafts 40 to 46 inclusive.

Bars 32 and 34 are notched for receiving outwardly projecting. portions on the bars to 35 inclusive as is evident in Figure. 5. After the fittings or members 90 to 96 inclusive are inserted in. place on. the bars 80 to 8.6 inclusive, then suitable partitions I00, |0I, I02, I03, I04, I and I36 respectively have their lower ends suitably secured or slid into slots; in the upper ends of members 90 to 96 inclusive and these partitions I00 to 1:06 inclusive extend upward to and are suitably secured to the lower surface of the top wall II andmay also be suitably secured to the inner surface of back wall |5,-. The partition I05 extends. forwardly for a greater distance than the other partitions and has a resilient gasket I37 against-which the inner surface of door I6 fits.

The upper ends of the partitions I63 to I53 inclusive are perforated by any suitable means such as a plurality of vertically disposed slots N13 for ventilation purposes to be later described. The partitions I00 to I06 inclusive form verti- Cally disposed compartments III], III, H2, H3, H4 and I- I5 into which. bottled beverages can be stacked ina prone or'fiat: position.

Disposed in spaced relation to the bars 3!, 32 and 33 and extending from the back wall I5 to flush against the inner surface of the door I5 is a sloping plate member I20 which also spans the distance and is secured to the inner surfaces of the walls I3, I4 and I5. Plate I20 has a gasket 6 on its front edge against which the inner surface of door I6 fits. Plate I20 also has a large opening I I8 in its left hand end in Figures 3 and 4 through which air is forced by the fan, to be presently described.

Plate I20 is substantially parallel to but is in spaced relation to and disposed below the bars 3|, 32 and 34. This plate I20 has a plurality of perforations I I! therein through which the air is drawn downwardly through the vertical compartments II 0 to H5 inclusive. The holes Ill increase in size from left to right in Figure 3 to causeproper ventilation as will be later explained.

Disposed below this sheet metal partition I23 is an electric motor I2| mounted on a suitable motor mount I22 supported on the upper surface of bottom portion I2. Themotor |2| has on its shaft 2. fan I23 which ismounted in a suitable opening I24 in a sheet metal member I25 which extends from the bottom I2 up past the sheet metal partition I20 and against the partition I06 (see Figure 2) and it also extends from the inner surface of the back wall flush against the inner surface but not secured to the inner surface of the front door IE, but has a gasket IIS on its front edge against which front door I6 fits. This will cause the air to be drawn downwardly through the compartments I I0 to H5 inclusive and through the openings II! and through opening I24 and upwardly in the space I330 occurring between the partition |061 and. the inner surface of the side Wall I4.

Disposed in the space I30 is a refrigerating coil I26 which is connected to a suitable compressor I2'I disposed in the lower portion 28 of the cabinet I0 and driven by a suitable electric motor I28 through the medium of any suitable means such as a belt I29. In front of thedischarge side of the fan I23 is provided a curved vane ISI for directing the blasts of air upwardly through the passageway I 30.

One of the pies leading from the compressor has a conventional expansion valve. I32 therein and a suitable thermostatic switch I33 is provided which is wired by means of wires I34 and I35 to the wires I36. and, I31 leading to the electric motor I28 whereby the motor will be cut on and off as desired to. maintain the desired temperature within the interior of the cabinet I0.

The fan I2| has suitable wires I38 and I39 leading. therefrom to a suitable source of electrical energy and this fan is usually driven continuously while the apparatus. is in operation.

Each of the shafts 40 to 46 inclusive has cams I 40 to I 46 inclusive thereon, there being two cams on each shaft set at the same angularity. These cams are for supporting and dispensing the bottled beverages disposed within the vertical chutes or compartments H0 to H5.

A shaft I50 extends through both of the bars 32 and 3| just below shaft 4| and is held laterally secure by collars 224 and 225 and on the front side of the bar 3| has fixed thereto a pair of spaced disks I41 and I48 held in spaced relation to each other by'suitable spacer members I5 I, I52, and I53. The outer disk or front disk its has a triangular cut away portion I55 therein which has at each corner thereof cavities I56, E51 and I58. The stud shaft I50 has fized thereon a pinion 226 which is one-half the diameter of the pinion 5| fixed on the shaft 4'1, and pinions 225 and 5| are in engagement with each other at all times.

A pin I60 is adapted to rest one at a time in these cavities I56, I51 and I58, said pin being in one end of a link I6I which is offset as at [62 and is pivotally secured as at I63 to an end disk or circular portion I65 of a trough member I64. The trough member has also its other end of circular formation and indicated at I66 and extending between the circular head members I65 and I66 is a semi-circular trough portion I61. The head members I65 and I66 have extending therefrom stud shafts I10 and HI respectively, the shaft I1I being mounted in a suitable opening in the inner lining of rear wall I5 and this lining for side wall l5 extends across and forms a lining for the bottom member l2. A bearing I14 is provided on bottom I2 for reception of the shaft I10 so that shafts I II and I10 can oscillate in said bearings. In the door I6 is mounted a suitable lock I15 and a suitable coin return member I16 and a coin slot I11 and a bottle opener I12.

The coin slot I 11 leads into a conventional slug rejector I80 and which forms no part of the present invention. This portion I80 is supported by a suitable bracket I8I secured to the exterior of side wall I3.

The slug detector mechanism which is conventional and is not described and which is housed within housing I80 has extending therefrom a chute I18 which leads to the exterior of the machine to deliver a slug or rejected coin to the receptacle I16 shown in Figure 1. This housing I80 also has a coin chute I19 through which accepted coins will fall into the coin trough I95.

Mounted on the exterior of the wall I3 is a bracket I82 which has a pivot pin I83 therein on which is pivoted a bell crank I84 having three legs I85, I86 and I81. Integral with bell crank I84 is an upwardly projecting portion I90 having an elongated slot therein penetrated by a pin I9I extending from the exterior of wall I3 so that member I90 can slide relative to the pin I9I. A compression spring I 92 surrounds the pin I SI and thumb nuts I94 are mounted on the pin or bolt I9I for regulating the tension in the compression spring I92.

The portion I81 of the bell crank I84 has a coin trough I95 fixed thereto into which the coin if it passes the test in housing I89 will drop. The added weight of the coin will overbalance the bell crank I84 and cause it to move in a clockwise manner in Figure 2 or to the position shown in Figure 7, and arm I86 has a projection I91 thereon which will engage a micro-switch button I96 in a housing I99 to complete a circuit as wires 200 and I leading from a suitable source of current pass into the housing I99 and wires 202 and 203 lead out of the housing I99 to cause a circuit to flow through a coil 205 which will energize a solenoid core 206 whose lower end is connected to a gate 208 slidably mounted in slides 209 and 2I0. The gate along with the semi-circular portion I61 serves as a double closure for the exit portion of the compartment in which the bottled drinks are stored. The gate has extending therefrom a projection 2 I2 having a slot 2I3 therein loosely fitting over a pin 2I4 fixed in cylindrical head member I65.

While the coin is rolling down the coin trough I95 the micro-switch will remain closed to cause the gate 208 to be raised which will also move the semi-circular trough portion I61 an approximate half revolution, which will allow the lowermost bottle therein to roll out of the open Method of Operation It will be noted that each one of the shafts to 46 inclusive has two cams I40 to I46 fixed thereon, and due to the fact that pinion 226 has one-half the diameter of pinion 5|, and due to the fact that stud shaft I is moved one-third of a revolution for the delivery of each bottle, then it is quite evident that the cam shafts 40 to 46 will be rotated one-sixth of a revolution for each delivery of a bottle from the machine.

When a coin which is accepted and has passed into the machine and closed the micro-switch I99 by pressure on button [93 to energize the solenoid 205, then the trough member I64 will be rotated slightly less than one-half a revolution, and this will move the parts from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure '1.

There will always be a bottle ready for de livery resting against the concave surface of portion I61, ready for delivery. The movement of the trough member I64 from position shown in Figures 2 and 4 to the position shown in Figure 7 will impart a one-sixth revolution to all of the cam shafts 40 to 46 inclusive with the cams thereon.

It will be noted that with the parts in the position shown'in Figure 4 that the bottle is resting inside the trough portion I61 ready for delivery and when the cams are moved the bottle supported by the trailing end of cam I4I will be allowed to fall downwardly. Upon energization of the solenoid coil 205, the gate 208 will be lifted and the upward movement of the gate will cause the trough member I64 to be rotated slightly less than a half a revolution until its lip I61a will engage the sheet metal member I20 and this will allow the bottle contained within the trough portion I61 to be delivered to the exterior of the machine and fall into the chute or trough 24 to slide to the exterior of the machine. By the lifting of the gate 208 and movement of the parts to the position shown in Figure 7, then the cams I40 to I46 will be moved one-sixth of a revolution in a clockwise manner and this will move the trailing end of cam I 4! from beneath the bottle supported thereby and allow this bottle to fall downwardly onto the sheet metal member I20, to roll down to the position shown in Figure 7 against the outer peripheral surface of the trough portion I61. Now, the weight of the gate, when the coin has rolled out of the trough I95, breaking the circuit to the solenoid coil 266 will cause the gate to move to closed position which will move the trough member I64 to the position shown in Figures 2 and 4 and will cause the link I6I to slide backwardly and fall into the next succeeding notch, such as I5I in Figure 3 in the triangular cavity I ready for a subsequent operation. Upon the next operation, then, of course, cam I42 will be moved far enough to allow the lowermost bottle in its associated column to the left-hand thereof in Figure 4 to fall downwardly onto the plate I26. Of course, in the beginning of operation in all probability the machine would be set so that the bottle which is shown ready for delivery in Figure 4 would have been released by the cam I 40 and at the same time, the leading edge of cam 14! will move in below the next succeeding bottle thereabove. This happens throughout the sequence as to cams I40 to M6 and then the sequence starts over again, it being understood that as the trailing edge of two cams moves from beneath a bottle to allow it to fall, the leading edge of the next adjacent cams to the left will move beneath the bottle thereabove and support it to prevent its falling downwardly.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A vending machine comprising a cabinet having a plurality of spaced partitions forming a plurality of compartments and a rotatable shaft mounted at the lower ends of each of the partitions, each shaft having thereon cam means for supporting horizontally disposed articles in said compartments and for vending one of the articles at a time from the compartments, means for moving all of the shafts simultaneously a partial revolution to cause the cam means on two adjacent shafts to release the lowermost article from one compartment and to engage the next article thereabove with the cam means on one of the shafts to prevent its passing out of its compartment, and upon the next operation of the machine moving two adjacent shafts to cause their cam means to release the lowermost article in another compartment and preventing downward movement of next to the lowermost article in the compartment, a sloping shelf disposed below all of the compartments onto which the articles are adapted to fall when released from a compartment, said cabinet having an opening at the lower end of said shelf through which the articles are adapted to pass to the exterior of the machine, a door closing said opening, a substantially trough-like member mounted in said opening and against which the articles are adapted to roll when released from one of the compartments, means for moving the door from over the opening and simultaneously partially rotating the trough-like member to allow an article resting therein to pass through said opening to the exterior of the machine and whereby the next article will roll against the convex portion of the trough-like member when released and be arrested against movement out of the opening, and a connection between the trough-like mem ber and the means for moving the shafts for imparting a partial rotation to the shafts upon each movement of the door and trough-like member.

2. In a vending machine having a cabinet provided with a plurality of spaced partitions forming a plurality of compartments, a shaft rotatably mounted at the lower ends of the partitions, each shaft having thereon cam means for engaging and supporting two sides of the lowermost of a stack of articles thereabove, means for simultaneously imparting a partial revolution to all of said shafts to progressively move the same to allow the lowermost article in one compartment to be released therefrom to move to the exterior of the machine and to engage and hold the next lowermost article against downward movement out of a compartment, the various shafts being movable in succession until all of the compartments have each delivered an article from the lower end thereof, said cabinet having a sloping shelf member disposed below the lower ends of the compartments onto which the articles released from a compartment are adapted to fall to roll to one side of the compartment, said cabinet having an opening in one side of the compartment at the lowermost end of the sloping shelf member, closure means for normally closing the opening, means for moving the closure means from over said opening to allow an article released from one of the compartments to roll through said opening to the exterior of the machine, and means for connecting the closure means to the means for imparting rotation to the shafts, whereby moving of the closure means to open position will impart a partial rotation to the shafts.

3. In a vending machine for bottled beverages, a cabinet having a plurality of spaced partitions forming a plurality of compartments therein in which bottled beverages may be stored in super-- posed relation, a plurality of rotatable shafts mounted near the lower ends of said partitions and each having cam means thereon for supporting columns of bottles in two adjacent compartments, a sloping shelf member disposed below the lower ends of the compartments and in spaced relation thereto and onto which a bottle released from a compartment may fall to roll to one side of the cabinet, said cabinet having an opening in one of its walls adjacent the lowermost point of said sloping shelf, a vertically slidable door normally closing said opening, a solenoid member connected to said door for raising the same, a concavo-convex oscillatable member mounted adjacent said opening for arresting the bottles rolling down the shelf, a connection between the door and the concave-convex member, means operable by the closing of a circuit to said solenoid member for raising said door and oscillating said concave-convex member to deliver a bottle through said opening to the exterior of the machine, and means connected to said concavo-convex member and to all of said shafts for simultaneously imparting a partial revolution to the shafts upon oscillation of the concavo-convex member and whereby upon delivery of a bottle through said opening to the exterior of the machine upon oscillation of the concavo-convex member, all of said shafts will be rotated to cause the cams on two adjacent shafts to release a lowermost bottle in one of the compartments to allow it to fall onto the sloping shelf and to roll against the concave side of said concave-convex member.

4. In a vending machine for bottled beverages, a cabinet, a plurality of spaced partitions in said cabinet forming a plurality of compartments into which bottled beverages and the like may be placed in superposed. relation, a plurality of retatable shafts mounted at the lower ends of the partitions and geared together for simultaneous rotation, said cabinet having an opening in one side thereof and a sloping shelf having its lower end coinciding with the lower edge of said opening, said sloping shelf being disposed in spaced relation below the said rotatable shafts, a door for said opening, asolenoid coil connected to said door for raising the same to allow a bottle to roll from said shelf through said opening, means operable upon closing of a circuit for raising said door. a connection between said door and said rotatable shaft to impart simultaneous rotation to all of the shafts upon raising of said door, each of said shafts having cams thereon and the cams being pitched at different angles on each of the shafts, said cams being arranged to support a column of bottles in each of said compartments and upon a partial revolution of all of the cams, the cams on two adjacent shafts permitting a bottle to drop from a compartment and the cams on one of the shafts having another portion for engaging the bottle thereabove for preventing its downward movement.

5. A vending machine comprising a cabinet having a plurality of spaced partitions therein forming a plurality of compartments, into which articles may be placed in superposed relation in a horizontal position, a shaft mounted at the lower end of each of said partitions, and each shaft having a pair of cams thereon with projections extending below two adjacent compartments for supporting and releasing the bottles in the compartments, all of said shafts being geared together for simultaneous rotation, means on the exterior of the cabinet and connected to said shafts for imparting simultaneous rotation to the same to impart a partial rotation to all of the shafts to so position the cams on two adjacent shafts to allow the lowermost article in one of the compartments to fall downwardly and to roll towards the exterior of the machine.

6. In a vending machine having a cabinet in which there is disposed a plurality of spaced partitions forming compartments, a plurality of rotatable shafts mounted between the lower ends of the compartments, means connecting all of the shafts together for simultaneous rotation, said cabinet having an opening therein through which articles are adapted to be delivered, the articles being adapted to be stacked in superposed relation in said compartments, each of said shafts having cam means thereon for preventing downward movement of the articles disposed with the compartment, but upon rotation of all of the shafts, the cams on one of the shafts serving to release the lowermost article in one of the compartments and the cams on an adjacent shaft also passing below the next lowermost article in that compartment to prevent its compartment and to cause the cam means on v the other side of the compartment to engage the next article thereabove to prevent its passing.

out of its compartment, and upon the next operation of the machine causing another pair of shafts to release the lowermost article in another compartment and preventing downward movement of next to the lowermost article in the compartment, a sloping shelf disposed below all 7 of the compartments onto which the articles are adapted to fall when released from a compartment, said cabinet having an opening at the lower end of said shelf through which the articles are adapted to pass to the exterior of-the machine, a door closing said opening, a substan tially trough-like member mounted in said opening and against which the articles are adapted to roll when released from one of the compartments, means for moving the door from over the opening and simultaneously moving the troughlike member to allow an article resting therein to pass through said opening to the exterior of the machine and whereby the next article will roll against the convex portion of the troughlike member when released and be arrested against movement out of the opening, and a connection between the trough-like member and the means for moving the shafts for imparting a partial rotation to the shafts upon each movement of the door and trough-like member, a trough member disposed outside the opening through which the articles are adapted to pass and extending forwardly an opening in the front of the cabinet adjacent the lowermost end of said trough and whereby an article when delivered to said opening will slide downwardly on said trough and through the opening in the front of the cabinet to where it can be seized by an operator to remove it from the interior of the cabinet.

8. In a vending machine having a cabinet provided with a plurality of spaced partitions forming a plurality of compartments, a shaft rotatably mounted between each of the compartments and at the lower ends of the compartments and at the outer sides of the two outermost compartments, each shaft having thereon cam means for engaging and supporting a stack of articles thereabove, means for simultaneously imparting a partial revolution to all of said shafts to progressively move the same to allow the lowermost article in one compartment to be released therefrom to move to the exterior of the machine and to engage and hold the next lowermost article against downward movement out of a compartment, the various shafts being movable in succession until all of the compartments have each delivered an article from the lower end thereof, said cabinet having a sloping shelf member disposed below the lower ends of the compartments onto which the articles released from a compartment are adapted to fall to roll to one side of the compartment, said cabinet having an opening'in one side of the compartment at the lowermost end of the sloping shelf member, closure means for normally closing the opening, and means for moving the closure means from over said opening to allow an article released from one of the compartments to roll through said opening to the exterior of the machine, means connecting the closure moving means to the means for imparting a partial revolution to the shafts, whereby the means for moving the closure means when operated will also impart a partial rotation to the shafts, a trough member disposed outside the opening through which the articles are adapted to pass and extending forwardly an opening in the front of the cabinet adjacent the lowermost end of said trough and whereby an article when delivered to said opening will slide downwardly on said trough and through the opening in the front of the cabinet 'to where it can be seized by an operator to remove it from the interior of the cabinet.

9. In a vending machine for bottled beverages,

a cabinet having a plurality of vertically disposed partitions therein forming compartments in which bottled beverages may be stored in superposed relation, a plurality of rotatable shafts mounted near the lower ends of said partitions and each having cam means thereon for supporting columns of bottles in two adjacent compartments, a sloping shelf member disposed below the lower ends of the compartments and in spaced relation thereto and onto which a bottle released from a compartment may fall to roll to one side of the cabinet, said cabinet having an opening in one of its walls adjacent the lowermost point of said sloping shelf, a vertically slidable door normally closing saidopening, a solenoid member connected to said door for raising the same, a concave-convex oscillatable member mounted adjacent said opening for arresting the bottles rolling down the shelf, a connection between the door and the concavo-convex member whereby upon the closing of a circuit to said solenoid member said door will be raised and oscillating said oonc'avo-convex member will be oscillated to deliver a bottle through said opening to the exterior of the machine, and means connected to said concavo-convex member and to all of said shafts for simultaneously imparting a partial revolution to the shafts upon oscillation of the concave-convex member and whereby upon delivery of a bottle through said opening to the exterior of the machine upon oscillation of the concavo-eonvex member, all of said shafts will be rotated to cause the cams on one of the shafts to release a lowermost bottle in one of the compartments to allow it to fall onto the sloping shelf and to roll against the convex side of said coneavo convex member, a trough member disposed outside the opening through which the articles are adapted to pass, said cabinet having an opening in the front side thereof adjacent the lowermost end of said trough, and whereby an article when delivered to said opening will slide downwardly on said trough and through the opening in the front of the cabinet to where it can be seized by an operator to remove it from the interior of the cabinet.

10 In a vending machine for bottled beverages, a cabinet, a plurality of vertically disposed spaced partitions in said cabinet and forming compart= nients into which bottled beverages and the like may be placed in superposed relation, a plurality of rotatable shafts mounted adjacent the lower ends of the compartments and geared together for simultaneous rotation, there being a shaft on each side of each compartment, said cabinet having an opening in one side thereof and a sloping shelf having its lower end coinciding with the lower edge of said opening, said sloping shelf being disposed in spaced relation below the said rotatable shafts, a door for said opening, a, solenoid coil connected to said door for raising the same to allow a bottle to roll from said shelf through said opening, means operable upon closing of a circuit for raising said door, a connection between said door and said rotatable shafts to impart simultaneous rotation to all of the shafts upon raising of said door, each of said shafts having cams thereon and the cams being pitched at different angles on each of the shafts, said cams being arranged to support a column of bottles in each of said compartments and upon a partial revolution of all of the cams, the shafts on one of the cams permitting a bottle to drop from a compartment and having another portion on a cam on an adjacent shaft for engaging the bottle thereabove for preventing its downward movement and whereby a bottle released from a compartment will roll towards the exterior of the compartment while the door is in raised position, a trough member disposed outside the opening through which the articles are adapted to pass and extending forwardly, an opening in the front of the cabinet adjacent the lowermost end of said trough and whereby an article when delivered to said opening will slide downwardly on said trough and through the opening in the front of the cabinetto where it can be seized by an operator to remove it from the interior of the cabinet.

11, A vending machine comprising a cabinet having a plurality of vertically disposed partitionstherein forming a plurality of vertically disposed compartments, into which articles may be placed in superposed relation in a horizontal position, a plurality of shafts mounted at the lower end of said compartments, there being a shaft at the lower end of each of said partitions and each shaft having a pair of cams thereon for supporting and releasing the bottles in the compartments, all of said shafts being geared together for simultaneous rotation, means on the exterior of the cabinet and connected to said shafts for imparting simultaneous rotation to the same to impart a partial rotation to all of the shafts to thus allow the lowermost article in one of the compartments to fall downwardly and means directing a released bottle to roll towards the exterior of the machine, said cabinet having an opening in one side thereof, a trough member disposed outside the opening through which the articles are adapted to pass and extending forwardly, an opening in the front of the cabinet adjacent the lowermost end of said trough and whereby an article when delivered through said first opening will slide downwardly on said trough and through the opening in the front of the cabinet to where it can be seized by an operator to remove it from the interior of the cabinet.

12. In a vending machine having a cabinet provided with a plurality of vertically disposed compartments disposed within a suitable cabinet and a plurality of rotatable shafts, there being a shaft mounted adjacent each side of and at the lower end of the compartments, means connecting all of the shafts together for simultaneous rotation, said cabinet having an opening therein through which articles are adapted to be delivered, the articles being adapted to be stacked in superposed relation in said comptrtments, each of said shafts having cam means thereof for preventing downward movement of the articles disposed within the compartments, but upon rotation of all of the shafts, the cams on one of the shafts serving to release the lowermost article in one of the compartments and the cams on an adjacent shaft also passing below the next lowermost article in that compartment, a trough member disposed outside the opening through which the articles are adapted to pass and extending forwardly, an opening in the front of the cabinet adjacent the lowermost end of said trough and whereby an article when delivered to said first opening will slide downwardly on said trough and through the opening in the front of the cabinet to where it can be seized by an operator to remove it from the interior of the cabinet.

13. A vending machine comprising a cabinet having an opening and having a plurality of vertically disposed spaced partitions forming compartments and a rotatable shaft mounted at the lower ends of each of the partitions and between adjacent compartments, each shaft having thereon cam means for supporting horizontally disposed articles in said compartments and for vending one of the articles at a time from the compartments, all of the shafts being movable simultaneously to release the lowermost article from one compartment and to engage the next article thereabove to prevent its pas-sing out of its compartment, and upon the next operation of the machine moving the shafts to cause another shaft to release the lowermost article in another compartment and preventing movement of next to the lowermost article in the compartment, 2, sloping shelf disposed below all of the compartments onto which the articles are adapted to pass to the exterior of the machine, a door closing said opening and against which the articles are adapted to roll when released from one of the compartments, means connecting the door to the troughlike member, means connecting the trough-like member to the shafts and means for moving the door from over the opening to simultaneously move the trough-like member and the shafts to release an article from a compartment and to allow an article resting in the trough-like member to pass through said opening to the exterior of the machine and whereby the next article released will roll against the convex portion of the trough-like member and be arrested against movement out of the opening.

14. A vending machine having a cabinet provided with a plurality of vertically disposed spaced partitions forming a plurality of vertically disposed compartments, a sloping shelf disposed below and in spaced relation to the lower ends of the partitions, a shaft rotatably mounted at the lower end of each partition, each shaft having thereon cam means for engaging and supporting the stack of articles thereabove, means for simultaneously imparting a partial revolution to all of said shafts to progressively move the same to cause the cam means to allow the lowermost articles in one compartment to be released therefrom to cause the cam means on the other side of the compartment to engage and hold the next lowermost article against downward movement out of a compartment, the various shafts being movable in succession until all of the compartments have each delivered an article from the lower end thereof, the released articles being adapted to fall onto said sloping shelf and to roll to one side of the compartment, said cabinet having an opening in one side of the compartment at the lowermost end of the sloping shelf member, closure means normally closing the opening, and mean-s for moving the closure from over said opening to allow an article resting on said shelf to roll through said opening to the exterior of the machine, and means for connecting the closure moving means to the means for moving the shafts, so that opening of the closure will impart rotation to the shafts.

15. In a vending machine for bottled beverages, a cabinet having a pluralit of spaced partitions therein forming compartments therebetween in which bottled beverages may be stored in superposed relation, each of said partitions having a lower end and an upper end, a plurality of rotatable shafts mounted near the lower ends of said partitions and each having cam means thereon projecting into the compartments for supporting a column of bottles in each compartment, a sloping shelf member disposed below the lower ends of the compartments and in spaced relation thereto and onto which a bottle released from a compartment may fall to roll to one side of the cabinet, said cabinet having an opening in one of its walls adjacent the 1owermost point of said sloping shelf, a vertically slidable door normally closing said opening, a solenoid member connected to said door for raising the same, a concave-convex oscillatable member mounted adjacent said opening for arresting the bottles rolling down the shelf, means connecting the door and the concavo-convex member and operable by the closing of a circuit to said solenoid member for raising said door and oscillating said concavo-convex member to deliver a bottle through said opening to the exterior of the machine, and means connected to said concavo-convex member and to all of said shafts for simultaneously imparting a partial revolution to the shafts upon oscillation of the concavo-oonvex member and whereby upon delivery of a bottle through said opening to the exterior of the machine upon oscillation of the concavo-convex member, all of said shafts will be rotated to cause the cams on the shafts on each side of a compartment to release a lowermost bottle in one of the compartments to allow it to fall onto the sloping shelf and to roll against the convex side of said concavo-convex member and to arrest downward movement of a bottle disposed above the released bottle.

16. In a vending machine for bottled beverages, a cabinet, a plurality of spaced partitions in said cabinet and forming compartments into which bottled beverages and the like may be placed in superposed relation, one end of the partitions being at a lower elevation than their other ends, a plurality of rotatable shafts mounted at the lower ends of the partitions and geared together for simultaneous rotation, said cabinet having an opening in one side thereof and a sloping shelf having its lower end coinciding with the lower edge o said opening, said sloping shelf being disposed in spaced relation below the said rotatable shafts, a door for said opening, a solenoid coil connected to said door for raising the same to allow a bottle to roll from said shelf through said opening, means operable upon closing of a circuit for raising said door, a connection between said door and said rotatable shafts to impart simultaneous rotation to all of the shafts upon raising of the said door, each of said shafts having cams thereon and the cams being pitched at different angles on each of the shafts, said cams being arranged to support a column of bottles in each of said compartments and upon a partial rotation of all of th teams, the shafts on one of the cam-s permitting a bottle to drop from a compartment and the cams on an adjacent shaft engaging the bottle thereabove for preventing its downward movement and whereby a bottle previously released from a compartment will roll out of the compartment while the door is in raised position.

17. In a vending machine comprising l8, cabinet having a plurality of spaced partitions therein forming a plurality of compartments into which articles may be placed in superposed relation in a horizontal position, a plurality of shafts mounted at the lower end of said compartments and being in alignment with said partitions and each shaft having a pair of cams thereon for supporting and releasing the articles in the compartment, all of said shafts being geared together for simultaneous rotation, means on the exterior of the cabinet and connected to said shafts for imparting a simultaneous rotation to the same to impart a partial rotation to all of the shafts to thus allow the cams on one shaft to release the lowermost article in one of the compartments while the cams on an adjacent shaft on the other side 0; the

compartment move below the bottle about to be released, for supporting the same, and means. for directing a released bottle to roll towards the exterior of the machine.

18'. In a vending machine having a plurality of compartments formed by a plurality of spaced partitions disposed within a suitable cabinet, a plurality of rotatable shafts, there being a: shaft mounted adjacent each side of each of the. lowermost end of each of the compartments, means connecting all of the shafts together for simultaneous rotation, said cabinet having a slopin shelf and an opening therein through which a1- ticles are adapted to be delivered, the articles-being adapted to be stacked in succeeding higher levels in said compartments, each of said shafts having cam means thereon for preventing downward; movement of the articles disposed within the compartment, but upon rotation of all Of the shafts, the cams on one of the shafts serving to 16 release the lowermost article in one of the compartments and the cams on anadjacent shaft alsopassing below the next lowermost article inthat compartment to prevent its fallingfrom the compertinent, and means connected to all of said shafts for impartingsi-mult-aneously apartial r0- tation thereto.

JOHN B. BROCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,902,612 Blossom et ai Mar. 21, 1933 2,185,754 Rodman Jan. 2, 1940 2,279,093 Peters Apr. 7, 1942 2,296,154 Elliott Sept. 12, 1942 2,389,283 Stewart Nov. 20, I945 

